2025 Giro d’Italia to Pay Tribute to Pope Francis with Vatican City Finale

Rome: The 2025 Giro d’Italia will honor the late Pope Francis by starting its final stage from the Vatican, specifically outside the Porta del Perugino gate in St. Peter’s Square, as announced by the race organizers on Tuesday.

According to Ansa News Agency, Urbano Cairo, the president of the RCS media group that organizes cycling’s second-biggest stage race, expressed the significance of Rome as a backdrop for this tribute. “Rome is a special setting, an open-air museum, and this year it will have something extra,” Cairo stated. The decision to start the stage from Vatican City underscores the importance of the event, particularly in light of the recent passing of Pope Francis.

Cairo emphasized, “It will be an important moment, especially with the recent death of Pope Francis. It will be a great final stage totally dedicated to the pontiff.” The final stage promises to be a poignant conclusion to the race, paying homage to a figure who had a profound impact on many around the world.